Chicago vs Houston
Chicago, IL · Houston, TX
Houston is 11% cheaper than Chicago overall.
Home Price
Chicago: $315,000
Houston: $320,000
Monthly Rent
Chicago: $2,288/mo
Houston: $1,262/mo
COL Index
Chicago: 114
Houston: 101
Median Income
Chicago: $70,100
Houston: $67,800
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $88,596 in Houston — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Houston are 2% cheaper (-$5,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Houston saves you $1,026/month — $12,312 per year. Median rent: $2,288/mo in Chicago vs $1,262/mo in Houston.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Chicago owners pay roughly $6,615/year in property taxes vs $6,080/year in Houston. That's a $535 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,100 in Chicago and $67,800 in Houston. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Chicago vs 29 minutes in Houston. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Chicago to Houston, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $44,298 | -$5,702 |
| $75,000 | $66,447 | -$8,553 |
| $100,000 | $88,596 | -$11,404 |
| $150,000 | $132,895 | -$17,105 |
| $200,000 | $177,193 | -$22,807 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Chicago Calculators
Houston Calculators
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Chicago vs Houston: Common Questions
Is Chicago or Houston cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Houston is cheaper overall. Chicago has a COL index of 114 while Houston scores 101 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Chicago and Houston?
The median home price in Chicago is $315,000 vs $320,000 in Houston — a difference of $5,000 (2%).
What salary do I need in Houston to match my Chicago income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Chicago is equivalent to $88,596 in Houston in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Houston has a lower property tax rate (1.9% vs 2.1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $6,080/year vs $6,615/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.